On the southern border, the area is bounded by the mountains around the towns of La Trinidad and San Nicolás, which sweep downward to the valleys between Sébaco and El Sauce.

[4] One of the first regions of Nicaragua to be colonized by the Spaniards, the conquistadors established the city of Vieja and later Antigua, to implement the Corregimiento system over the indigenous inhabitants.

[6] After gaining its independence, Nicaragua drafted the Constitution of 1858, which established seven departments: Chinandega, Chontales, Granada, León, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, and Rivas.

[7] In 1926, during the United States occupation of Nicaragua Las Segovias became the center of the guerrilla warfare led by Augusto César Sandino, who established a network of espionage agents and collaborators from the local population.

[5][6] In 1933, during the negotiations for peace in the region, Sandino asked newly elected president Juan Bautista Sacasa to create a large autonomous department covering the area of Las Segovias.